Indian Pioner Papers - J.J. Loyd

Submitted by Brenda Choate  bcchoate@yahoo.com

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J.J. Loyd



Interview # 10400

Field Worker: Maurice R. Anderson

Date: April 22, 1938

Name: Mr. J.J. Loyd

Residence: Paoli, Oklahoma

Date of Birth: December 13, 1865

Place of Birth: Kentucky

Father: John Loyd, born in Kentucky

Mother: Mary Chartina, born in Kentucky





I was born in Kentucky and worked on the farm there. 

 

Later I moved from Arkansas to the Indian Territory in 1892 

and settled at Doaksville in the Choctaw Nation and went to 

work in a grocery store.  The Choctaw Indians would trade furs, 

snake-root and beads for groceries.



I have gone spear-fishing with the Choctaw Indians.   Everyone 

had to have a cross painted on each side of his face and be 

bareheaded or they wouldn't let you attend.  These Indians would 

put a herb called devils shoestring in the water, then the fish 

would come to the top of the water and would be speared with arrows.



I have stomp danced with the Indians and have seen the Indians dance 

till they were so weak they could hardly stand up.

I was living in Doaksville in 1893 and 1894 when the Progressives and 

Nationals had war over what governor won in the election.   Both sides 

claimed to have won.



Governor Jones, then governor of the Choctaw Nation, sent the militia 

to stop them for fighting as several were killed and a number wounded.



I left there in 1894 and moved to a place called Crossroads now, then 

it was called the Stevens settlement, west of Paoli about two miles.  

I began farming in that settlement.



A subscription school was built there and it cost so much for each 

child sent and as they advanced in grades it would cost more.  Each 

family had to furnish a bench for their children to sit on.  I still 

have the old bench I made for my three sons who attended that school.



I lived and farmed in that community until four years ago at which time 

I rented my farm out and moved into Paoli where I now live.